An Act of Conscience
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| An Act of Conscience | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Directed by | Robbie Leppzer |
| Produced by | Robbie Leppzer |
| Written by | Robbie Leppzer and Sara Elinoff |
| Narrated by | Martin Sheen |
| Starring | Randy Kehler and Betsy Corner |
| Music by | Steven Schoenberg |
| Cinematography | Robbie Leppzer |
| Editing by | Robbie Leppzer |
| Distributed by | Cinemax & Turning Tide Productions |
| Release date(s) | 1997 |
| Running time | 90 minutes |
| Country | USA |
| Language | English |
| Official website | |
An Act of Conscience is a 1997 documentary film by Robbie Leppzer about the war tax resistance of Randy Kehler and Betsy Corner and years-long struggle that ensues after the IRS seizes their home in Colrain, Massachusetts in 1989, to recover $27,000 in unpaid taxes, penalties, and interest.[1] The film premiered at Sundance Film Festival and was shown on Cinemax and the Sundance Channel.[2] It is narrated by Martin Sheen and features cameo appearances by activist-priest Daniel Berrigan and political folksinger Pete Seeger.[1]
[edit] Plot
After the house is seized, the couple and their daughter refuse to move out and Kehler is arrested on December 3, 1991, by US Marshals and IRS agents.[1] Community supporters move in, helping them to occupy the house.[1] On February 12, 1992, the still-occupied house--but not the land, which belongs to the Valley Community Land Trust--is sold at auction to Danny Franklin and Terry Charnesky for $5400; the IRS had failed to receive any monetary bids at an earlier auction.[1] The sale results in suits and countersuits between the Franklin-Charnesky family and the Land Trust.[1] Despite the sale of the house, the Kehler-Corner occupiers refuse to leave.[1] However, on April 15, 1992, while Kehler, Corner, and their supporters are away, Franklin, Charnesky, and their supporters move-in and occupy the house.[1] Kehler, Corner, and their supporters begin a lively protest and round-the-clock vigil just outside the house, eventually even building a small wooden structure to shelter the protesters.[1] On May 28, 1993, the Franklin County Superior court issues an injunction against the Kehler-Corner protests and, subsequently, several protesters are arrested and jailed after violating the injunction.[1] Still, the protest continues until September, when they are finally discontinued.[1] The battle over the house is ended in December 31, 1993, when an out-of-court settlement is reached between the Land Trust and the Franklin-Charnesky family, who agree to leave the house and deed it and the land-lease to the land trust in exchange for an undisclosed sum of money.[3]
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Robbie Leppzer (director). (1997). An Act of Conscience [DVD]. Wendell, MA: Turning Tide Productions. Retrieved on 2007-06-15.
- ^ An Act of Conscience (HTML). Turning Tide Productions. Retrieved on 2007-06-16.
- ^ Randy Kehler (June 1994). Conscience, Community, and Compromise. Sojourners. Archived from the original on 2007-04-16. Retrieved on 16 June, 2007.
[edit] External links
- "The Great Anti-War Films: An Act of Conscience." A review by Rick Gee at lewrockwell.com.
- Film description and director profile at the Human Rights Watch film festival site.
- Description of personal, legal, and media papers about the "Colrain Action," archived in the Special Collections and University Archives, W.E.B. Du Bois Library, University of Massachusetts Amherst.
- "Conscience, Community, and Compromise" by Randy Kehler in Sojourners, April, 1994, (free registration required).
